ELDER STATESMAN	339
'fcOh! O-Hana-san!" Nagiye tried to control her voice as she glared
at the girl. Her face became pale.
Saionji tenderly patted Ghana's cheek. She was still mumbling in-
coherently, "I—I must—go."
"Lord! Lord, you told me I, I was your—your—" Nagiye screamed
with her kimono sleeves pressed against her face.
"O-O-Hana-san!"
To the anguished housekeeper, Saionji said calmly: "Leave Ghana
here, I'll take care of her,"
"Hara-san, it's nice to see you and your wife here in Kyoto!"
"Marquis Saionji, since I came here with my humble wife to pay
homage to the Momoyama Mausoleums I called to thank you for your
favor in recommending me to head the Seiyukai Party as your succes-
sor, and to report to you about Party affairs."
"No thanks are necessary. It was a natural choice. You have actually
led the organization since I resigned the Presidency in February 1913,
particularly after the death of our dear mutual friend and co-worker,
Matsuda, on March 5 of this year. Your promotion confirmed on June
18 will revive the original fighting spirit. It will also invigorate the
movement for true party government in Nippon, I am sure."
"I shall do my best, Marquis."
"I have no doubt of your eventual success. I imagine General Kat-
sura's death last October has made things easier for you. He was only
sixty-eight years old, a year older than me. His passing leaves the
Choshu group without Premier timber, save General Terauchi"
"Do you think Terauchi will ever head the Government, Marquis?"
"Yes, I do, Hara-san. He was the War Minister many times and our
Governor-General in Korea, too. The Choshu Genros will push him
forward and he is very capable in handling affairs along conservative
lines."
"I have had a prejudice against the military and their Sat-cho backers
ever since they caused the downfall of your second Cabinet. This
European war in which we are involved because of the Anglo-Nip-
ponese Alliance will again raise the prestige of the men of swords."
"Huh, it is possible. The Army broke my administration, and the
Navy, by their refusal to furnish a Navy Minister, squashed the at-
tempt of Viscount Kiyoura, the Premier-design6, last spring: That led
to Count Okuma's induction into his second Administration in April,
now in power.